A critical question for entrepreneurs starting a business, particularly in a foreign country, is choosing whether or not franchising is the appropriate mode of entry. Franchising offers the entrepreneur instant brand recognition, established business processes and supply chains, regulatory and tax guidance as well as a ready supply of assistance in the early months; however, it deprives the entrepreneur of what many of them crave - the ability to .....more

Late in August 2004, Chris Higgins was forced into the unenviable position of determining the future of Ring-A-Wing, a London, Ontario-based fast food producer of premium chicken wings for home delivery. After making a personal loan to a friend wishing to invest in the business, the situation devolved in less than nine months from Higgins being a passive lender to being a significant investor to sitting in a bankruptcy meeting trying to determine .....more

This is a supplement to Ring-a-Wing (A), product 9B11N001.<br><br>Late in August 2004, Chris Higgins was forced into the unenviable position of determining the future of Ring-A-Wing, a London, Ontario-based fast food producer of premium chicken wings for home delivery. After making a personal loan to a friend wishing to invest in the business, the situation devolved in less than nine months from Higgins being a passive lender to being .....more

A partner and owner of the Sunset Grill at Blue Mountain in the village at Blue Mountain, Ontario had very mixed emotions. The restaurant had just finished its first year of operation and had broken even, and had been named as the Business of the Year in the counties of Simcoe and Grey. On the other hand, the owner knew that operations were still far from perfect.<br><br> This case was written for courses on operations, particularly .....more

Jeff and Debra Moore are the founders of Just Us!, a fair trade coffee cooperative, retailer and wholesaler. Just Us!’s mission is to actively promote fair trade and its benefits for producers in developing countries. The Moores have maintained a strong commitment to educating consumers while building strong brand identity and upholding constant growth. To support the main distribution channel in grocery stores, management opened four cafes (two .....more

Vineland Research and Innovation Center, a not-for-profit organization looking to work with the Ontario local food industry, has requested two researchers to analyze the local food business landscape and propose a technology-driven solution that connects farmers in the Niagara region with buyers in Toronto. The case illustrates the challenges faced by each stakeholder in the local food supply chain, and allows students to analyze the farming and .....more

This (B) case to For the Love of Good Food: The pLateTrace Project (A), product #9B09E006, allows students to synthesize their findings and assessments from the (A) case to recommend a viable, financially sustainable technology-based solution that generates long-term benefits for the multiple parties who would be involved. Given the current focus on local food and environmental responsibility, pLateTrace is a very relevant case that raises awareness .....more

An entrepreneur must decide whether to proceed with the business plan for his startup business. This mini case exercise presents all startup costs to open a fruit juice outlet in a mall in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates.

In April 2008, the owners of the Cambridge, Ontario-based Cerny Hospitality Group (CHG) were considering the purchase and implementation of OpenTable’s reservation management software in three of their restaurants, including the Blackshop Restaurant. It was thought that the software could aid in more effectively managing customer demand due to its ability to allow on-line reservations and its data-gathering capability, an improvement over its current .....more

On the return to their homeland of Croatia following a six-year visit to the United States, a couple has decided to open their own coffee house, one that is unique to the Croatian environment - a California-style coffee house that offers the quality, service, product assortment, ambiance and efficiency found in sophisticated coffee shops in developed markets, and all for a locally affordable price. The major challenge faced by the couple is how to .....more